Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

BUILDING A MOBILE

APPLICATION

FOR TEACHER

COACHING

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE NOTE

Version for decision review • December 2023

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433

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Attribution – Please cite the work as follows: Moravec, John, and Tracy Wilichowski. 2023. “Building a Mobile

Application for Teacher Coaching: Technical Guidance Note.” Coach Series, World Bank, Washington, DC. License:

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iii

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Contents

Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................................................iv

Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 1

Development Steps for Building a Digital Coaching Application ................................................... 4

Pre-implementation .....................................................................................................................................4

Implementation ...........................................................................................................................................10

Post-implementation ..................................................................................................................................10

Case Study: Mozambique Pilot ...................................................................................................... 11

Resources ........................................................................................................................................13

Annex 1: Frequently Asked Questions .......................................................................................... 14

Annex 2: Example Methodology for Selecting a Coaching Platform ........................................... 16

Annex 3: Terms of Reference for Mobile Coaching App Development Teams ............................ 18

Annex 4: Checklist for Developing a Digital Coaching App .......................................................... 20

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Acknowledgments

“Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching: Technical Guidance Note” was led by

John Moravec and coauthored by Tracy Wilichowski. It beneted from the input of Michela Alderuccio,

Ana Teresa Del Toro Mijares, Laura Gregory, Marcela Gutierrez Bernal, Cristóbal Cobo,

Quentin Daviot, Elaine Ding, Lachezar Hristov, Diego Luna Bazaldua, Ezequiel Molina, Abdal Mufti,

Adelle Pushparatnam, Marcos Soledade, and Alex Twinomugisha. The guidance note was informed by

the process that led to creation of a digital coaching application, an effort led by Marcos Soledade, Jr.,

and supported by a team of developers, namely, Antonio Barreto, Jose Airton Filho, John Moravec, and

Janderson Souza. Lastly, this product would not have been possible without funding from Finland to

support the implementation of Coach in Mozambique.

This note is part of the Coach program series of products, with nancial support from the Foundational

Learning Compact (FLC). The note was designed by Danielle Willis. Amy Gautam was the chief copy

editor. Janet Adebo and Patrick Biribonwa provided administrative support.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Overview

Demand for coaching as part of support to teachers’ continuous professional development (CPD)

is growing and substantial appetite exists for digital coaching applications (apps) that can provide

accessible resources. However, the absence of comprehensive toolsets that can be used in a variety

of contexts makes it difcult to implement digital coaching tools to help guide the coaching process

and data collection. Many existing tools are proprietary and may risk departing from core missions

where the ability to address specic needs and meet data security and privacy requirements varies.

While demand for digital coaching tools is high, few global public goods are available to provide

solutions beyond data collection. This guide provides an outline or roadmap for building coaching

apps,

using examples from the World Bank Group’s Coach program as a model.

The Coach program is a World Bank global initiative focused on helping countries improve their teacher

CPD programs and systems (in-service). The Coach program encompasses support to countries

to improve different forms of CPD, including, for example, training through workshops, seminars,

online courses, and school- and cluster-based training, and support through collaborative learning

communities, mentoring, coaching, and more. The program features open-access global public goods

in the form of tools and resources for policymakers, researchers, system-level leaders, pedagogical

leaders, and teachers, providing guidance on how to design, implement, and evaluate CPD programs

and systems. This note relates to the Coach program tools and resources focused on models of

mentoring and coaching that support teachers in applying and practicing new knowledge and skills, in

particular, foundational teaching skills (FTS).

These specic tools and resources are designed to be customized for a variety of contexts—thus no

two mentoring and coaching implementations are expected to be the same and could involve any

combination of data collection modalities (for example, paper-based, fully digital, or a hybrid of both

approaches). Substantial data are created throughout the coaching cycle. By strategically integrating

digital technologies in the process, these data can be made easily accessible to teachers and their

coaches, making coaching sessions and their preparation and follow-up more efcient.

By accompanying the coach along the entire process, a mobile coaching app may provide increased

efciency and personalized experiences, while achieving data collection and measurement objectives

to increase coaching quality and, ultimately, improve teacher practices and student outcomes.

Efciency gains are primarily achieved through prompted guidance of the coaching process, electronic

data collection, and reporting. Apps that follow the coaching protocols provided in the Coach program

tools and resources or similar may also be used as guides, facilitating tailored experiences for coaches

as they guide teachers through the coaching cycle (Figure 1). Specically, such apps guide the

coaching process through all steps of the coaching cycle:

1 Throughout this document, the term “coaching” is used generically to encompass the World Bank Group’s Coach program

as well as similar models for CPD.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

■ Prepare: Discuss the lesson plan, objectives, and any areas where the teacher and coach would

like to focus the classroom observation. A digital coaching app can provide a list of prescribed

lesson plans and objectives, together with resources for the teacher, if desired.

■ Observe: The coach attends the lesson, makes notes, and rates the teacher on teaching

practices, student engagement, use of materials, and any other predened focus areas. A digital

coaching app can capture notes and ratings.

■ Lead 1-1 feedback session: The coach’s feedback is shared with the teacher, including

commendations for strengths and areas that might need improvement. A digital coaching app

can be used to share data recorded with the teacher and provide resources for improvements.

■ Discuss next steps: Notes, feedback, and progress toward goals are documented for ongoing

development and reflection. A digital coaching app can facilitate ongoing collaboration, with the

ability to share resources, progress updates, and communication in real time.

The coaching process is designed to be iterative to provide a focused, tailored, practical, and ongoing

professional development cycle for teachers. As teachers cycle through the coaching process, data

can be provided in real time to pedagogical leaders to monitor skills progress at the school, district,

and/or national level.

Figure 1. Sample coaching cycle

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

In adapting paper-based coaching materials

to digital format, online apps provide several

opportunities and challenges:

This guidance note contains step-by-step instructions to build a digital coaching app to support

teachers in applying and practicing new knowledge and skills as part of a preexisting coaching model.

Annex 2 tells how to select a platform. This effort will help pedagogical leaders and principals improve

their support to teachers by easily tracking data associated with conducting classroom observation

visits, thereby better identifying skills teachers need support with and providing high-quality feedback.

The data collected as part of app-based coaching intervention will help teachers, coaches, school

leaders, and others determine where they should place their efforts and resources. This note assumes

that a coaching model has been designed and is already integrated in a preexisting system. The

note does not provide guidance on how to design a coaching protocol for implementation in any

context. Instead, policymakers and practitioners may use this guide as a roadmap for adapting their

existing coaching programs for digital data collection, coaching, and monitoring. To complement the

adaptation process, this guidance note includes a sample Terms of Reference for hiring developers

and other materials that can be used to replicate the use of the app, either in part or full, appropriate to

the intended context of implementation.

2 The Coach program provides sample paper-based coaching materials that may be digitized. For instance, the

Foundational Skills Teaching Guide outlines a set of 11 Foundational Teaching Skills (FTS). For each skill, the guide provides a

clear description of what it entails, step-by-step guidance on how to implement it effectively in the classroom, and a detailed

example.

OPPORTUNITIES CHALLENGES

Faster data collection, as data may be

reported to a central repository directly

when the app user is online

Reduced data entry error, as coding of

paper sheets is eliminated

A richer experience for pedagogical

leaders using the tool, as a well-

designed app can provide other media

(e.g., linked guides or videos)

Immediate, actionable insights due to

real-time data analysis and dashboard

capabilities

Integration with other systems used

by clients, enabling dynamic use of

data produced to support a variety of

programs and initiatives

■ Time- and labor-intensive nature of

digital products

■ Customization of proprietary

products to meet local needs, data

ownership, and use

■ Ongoing support and maintenance

of apps and other digital products to

ensure continuing operation, security,

and compatibility with evolving

operating systems and networks

■ Difficulty in adapting apps if/when

usage mission changes

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Development Steps for Building

a Digital Coaching Application

Pre-implementation

Select project leaders

Before a general architecture, and app requirements, may be elaborated, a development team should

be selected. Its members may be hired through a rm or as individuals and the project leaders’ roles

should be based on the following proles:

■ A product owner develops a clear vision of what the product should look like and how it should

function. The product owner should be knowledgeable of the coaching system to be digitized,

the institutions sponsoring the product, the client’s particular needs, and expectations from

end users. The product owner works closely with the rest of the development team, helps make

key decisions on features and priorities, and provides feedback to the development team for

improvements before their work is accepted.

■ A sprint manager

(or scrum master) serves as a software development generalist to lead

implementation of the software development plan through a project management process (that

is, Scrum or Agile development) and to provide quality assurance (QA).

■ When a product owner does not have expertise on the coaching model, a coaching/pedagogical

specialist may be added to the project development team. The specialist is responsible for

working with the product owner to ensure that product needs are translated into features and

priorities for the app. The specialist also provides input during product review to ensure the app

meets its functional requirements.

Key to the product owner’s (and coaching/pedagogical specialist’s) role is “translation” of the

client’s coaching protocol into a technical plan. The sprint manager provides support in furthering

development of the plan into specic technical tasks aligned to a completion timeline, identifying areas

to bring in specialist developers to complete the project.

Both the product owner and sprint manager may be able to identify team members to work on

specialized roles, tasks, and estimated time and resources needed to complete the project. If

individuals or rms are not readily engageable, social tools such as LinkedIn could be useful in

building a development team, keeping in mind that team members should ideally have international

development experience in addition to technical skills.

Project timelines for a software development project are typically created by breaking down the project

into smaller tasks and milestones, and then estimating the time required for each task. This process

involves input from various stakeholders, including developers and clients, to ensure that the timeline

is realistic and accounts for dependencies, resource availability, and potential risks.

3 In small projects, a sprint manager can also serve as a product owner.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

First: Frame app for the local context and requirements

A coaching app prescribes an algorithmic approach to provide feedback to teachers. Countries and

clients, however, may require a modied flow and instrument to meet their various needs. For example,

a country may (1) decide a simplied tool is necessary, (2) wish to measure FTS (that is, teaching

practices or behavioral markers) that meet its policies and initiatives, or (3) need the data collected by

the instrument to conform with currently deployed data systems.

To start the conversation with the government, the project leader,

in coordination with the

product owner, can ask foundational questions about the current program and the government’s aims

for the app:

■ What is the current coaching model? Who is the coach (for example, senior teachers, principals,

district ofcers, or external specialists)? What tools are used? What part of the coaching cycle is

easiest? Hardest? Are data available, and at what level? How are data used? How would you like

data to be available?

■ Apart from providing a coaching experience, what specic functionalities does the government

have in mind for the app?

■ How will the coaching tool align with and support existing policies and initiatives to improve

coaches’ technical skills and teaching quality in the country?

■ Who will host the app and are there any constraints on how it should be deployed? Do any regulatory,

data privacy, and security concerns need to be addressed during the development process?

■ How will the client measure the impact and sustainability of the coaching software over time?

When framing a digital coaching deployment for clients, working with the product owner, a few

questions should be asked of policymakers to identify an appropriate app flow:

■ What skills are a priority for this intervention? What is the set of FTS and how will they be

evaluated (for example, through a set of yes/no questions or a rubric)?

■ What is the digital literacy level

of eld leaders and managers to use the tool and interpret data

collected, and who will support the pedagogical leaders and app in the eld?

■ What is the level of technical expertise expected of pedagogical leaders in the eld? Will the

app need to be designed to guide them along a full-featured coaching process or provide a

streamlined data-entry approach?

A few technical questions are necessary to help frame the app development:

■ What is the status of the information technology (IT) infrastructure in the target country and

do any constraints or considerations need to be addressed? Are there specic challenges,

technological or otherwise, at the school level in accessing this infrastructure? This helps to

4 A project leader serves as a communication link between the development team and other stakeholders, including task

team leaders, clients, management, and targeted users of the product. The project leader works to develop the project scope,

establish development timelines, align resources, and manage expectations for the nished product.

5 While various standards are available to measure literacy, in the case of a coaching app, it is likely sufcient to assess

how often coaches and managers use mobile technologies, such as smartphones. In cases of low use, greatly simplied

application interfaces may be prescribed.

STEP

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

dene how the app will transmit data for recording and analysis and if any technologies need to be

integrated to ensure reliable data synchronization, etc.

■ Are any modications needed to measure coaching skills as already laid out in the coaching

program’s design? To what extent will the selection of skills to be worked on be automated by

the app? Are all measurement items required or are some optional? These questions help inform

the user flow through the app and should be dened as early as possible to avoid complications in

the app development cycle.

■ What information will be provided to the coach to support delivery of the coaching session?

Which coaching materials should be incorporated into the app? This helps to build an

understanding of the coaching flow for developers and if, for example, an app also needs to

support views for teachers to access coaching materials.

■ What is the timeline for development, testing, and implementation? Ideally, a development

timeline would provide for several iterations of development and testing before implementation.

■ Who will own and have access to the coaching data and how will the data be used? At what level

of detail should data be reported (for example, nationally, regionally, by postal code, etc.)? This

helps to frame how the administrative dashboard, reports, and data export tools will be built.

■ Will the client provide data center servers to host the database and backend logic of the app or

does a hosting solution need to be identied? This relates to the previous question and helps to

identify a hosting provider/platform to be used for the app.

■ Will the app need to integrate with existing data systems, such as a single sign-on system to

manage users, a learning management system, or an educational management information

system (EMIS)?

Understanding integrations helps align data collected in the app with other

systems for reporting and analysis.

■ What levels of access to system data should be provided (for example, to administrators,

regional managers, and/or school principals) and how would their use of the system differ?

■ Will the app need to operate in fully offline environments or is full Internet connectivity

guaranteed?

As a best practice, apps should be built for the lowest level of connectivity expected

in the deployment environment.

■ What other support needs to be given to the coach to ensure continued engagement in the app

and recording of quality data (for example, nudges, gamication, badges, etc.)? Mechanisms to

encourage engagement help improve the user experience and can be instrumental in increasing

data accuracy and continued use of the app for coaching and teacher improvement.

■ Finally—and crucially—who will be responsible for provisioning the hosting and supporting the

app (user training and technical support) after development and testing? Deployed coaching

apps should have a long-term support plan to ensure functionality in the eld, continued access to

data by managers, and ongoing software/security maintenance.

6 See especially World Bank Group EdTech Team (2022).

7 If full Internet connectivity is not guaranteed, a coaching app should be built to function offline as well as online,

synchronizing data when a connection is available.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Second: Select an application architecture and framework

Dening a software architecture is a critical part of the software development process, as it provides

a blueprint that guides the system’s design, development, and evolution. For program managers, a

well-dened architecture is important because it provides a common understanding of the system

among stakeholders, and it helps to ensure that the system is easy to maintain and evolves over time.

It is important to note that project managers should ensure that app designs reflect the enabling

environment, including Internet connectivity, access to electricity, availability of IT support, digital

literacy of users, and political will of the host government to make use of the data.

Once the framing questions delineate the app for the local context, a product owner should delineate

the requisites for a minimum viable product—the core features and functions required for the project—

and establish the general software architecture to guide the broader development team to meet the

project’s mission requirements. Key to this is selection of software frameworks that aid in reducing

app complexity, reduce the number of software bugs, provide for greater maintenance by others

familiar with the frameworks, and enhance app security through peer review of core elements. To

maximize code longevity and maintainability, it is recommended to use common frameworks with

which future software developers and maintainers may easily familiarize themselves. It is further

recommended to evaluate software frameworks for each of these components with an expert who

understands the mission requirements for the app before making a nal decision.

Backend software frameworks include Django,

Ruby on Rails,

ASP.NET Core,

and Laravel.

These

are used to run the application logic on the data server and communicate with frontend apps that the

pedagogical leaders will use via sets of application programming interfaces (APIs). The application

backend is also responsible for interfacing with the database. In other words, a backend handles

the business logic and recordkeeping needed to support the app. It is common for a project to use

different frameworks to control various aspects of the backend, especially if the app has requirements

to connect with other data systems, such as an EMIS. Selection of a backend framework may depend

on ensuring code compatibility with legacy systems. To aid in this selection, the product owner should

engage in conversations with key stakeholders to help determine which framework would best meet

the needs of the project.

The application database could be hosted on the same server as the backend (for example, MySQL or

Postgres), provided from a data center (using the same tools or proprietary software for larger-scale

database deployments such as Oracle Database or Microsoft SQL Server), or subscribed to from a

cloud host (for example, Amazon RDS, Redshift, or Google Cloud SQL). While many alternatives are

emerging, it is recommended to build a coaching app using a SQL-compatible database, the most

adopted standard among various database solutions. Coach logic works well with relational databases,

and tables produced may be used easily for dashboards and integration with other data systems.

Such compatibility makes it easy for other developers to tap into the database and run queries for

specialized reports, data analysis, etc.

8 The World Bank’s EdTech Readiness Index may be a useful tool to identify and measure the different enabling factors that

are required to ensure the environment meets the minimum criteria needed to be used effectively.

9 https://www.djangoproject.com

10 https://rubyonrails.org

11 https://asp.net

12 https://laravel.com

STEP

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Frontend frameworks are most likely to be proposed in one of two categories: Web application

frameworks and mobile development frameworks. Popular Web application frameworks include

Vue.js,

Node.js,

and Angular.

Mobile application frameworks such as Ionic,

Xamarin,

and Flutter

are used to develop apps that run natively on mobile devices and can be distributed via Android

and iOS app stores. In situations where a fully offline app is necessary, developers may opt to use a

mobile application framework to build a coaching app but use a Web application framework to provide

administrators and managers with a dashboard and reporting tool. This allows for the offline collection

of data that may be analyzed online when remote devices periodically connect to the network.

If building a mobile app (for example, for Android or iOS), it is important to note that many countries

and operating environments do not have access to the latest hardware and software builds. It is thus

advisable to build apps compatible with older software versions to extend the potential reach of the

coaching tool deployment.

A technical framework for application hosting must also be determined in coordination with the

client. Key to the conversation is whether clients have the computing resources, such as a data

center, to host the app backend and database themselves or if a cloud provider or local data center is

necessary. Further considerations on selection of an app hosting framework include data ownership

and local laws and regulations that guide appropriate use of data collected on the coaching system.

For example, local regulations may require that all data collected be stored within the geographical

constraints of the country or that data collected be made available for review, modication, or deletion.

Further architectural features to consider:

■ If the app is intended to fulll multiple requirements (for example, tracking teacher attendance in

addition to coaching) or could be deployed in various countries, consideration should be made

to provide for easy portability of code and reuse on different systems or in different country

contexts. For example, a product owner could request that developers include a “microskill

builder” to allow future users to edit, add, and reprioritize skills important to their context.

Furthermore, coding requirements must clearly state that in-line documentation with the

software code is necessary so future development teams can easily navigate and modify the

software and build upon previous work.

■ If the app is being developed as a public good, it is recommended to use open-source

frameworks and tools, which would eliminate the need for any vendor-specic lock-in with

software. Adopting an open-source approach allows future teams to make modications to the

core software and deploy to system architectures of their choice.

■ If integrations with external systems are required, API routes (connection points between the

frontend and backend or connections between the backend and other systems) should be

dened at the onset to maximize data compatibility between the coaching implementation

and the external system. This helps to avoid problems that emerge when systems need to be

retrotted to work with each other.

13 https://vuejs.org

14 https://nodejs.org

15 https://angular.io

16 https://ionic.io

17 https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/apps/xamarin

18 https://flutter.dev/

19 For more information, see especially World Bank (2019).

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Third: Organize the development cycle

With the general architecture and app requirements determined, a development team should be

engaged to begin production. Specialist developers—focused on the user interface/experience (UI/

UX), backend development, and frontend app—should be engaged to work with the sprint manager to

implement the project plan. Development of a coaching app for a local context will likely not require a

large team, but the responsibilities of the team need to be clearly delineated. Annex 3 contains sample

development team proles that can be used in a Terms of Reference document.

Software development is often an iterative process, beginning with design prototypes (wireframes).

The sprint manager’s role is particularly crucial in clearly communicating the “story” of the app to each

team member, together in meeting deadlines made in agreement with the product owner and clients.

At the end of each week, progress made is reviewed and feedback is fed forward into the next week’s

plan for improvement. Software development tools that teams typically use to collaborate include

Slack

(team communication) and Jira

or Taiga

(project management—see Figure 2 for an example

dashboard from a project management tool). For small teams, these services are available at no or

little cost. Larger teams typically require subscriptions, priced on a per seat basis.

Figure 2. Typical software project management dashboard

20 https://slack.com

21 https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira

22 https://www.taiga.io/

STEP

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Implementation

Fourth: Pilot, rene, and deploy

The nal development step is to test the coaching app, gain and incorporate feedback, and prepare for

nal deployment. If a Web app has been developed, a domain name should have been issued by the

client or purchased through a registrar and pointed to the frontend and administrative dashboard apps.

Any software that needs to be installed to servers or cloud should be deployed.

Before formally deploying the app at scale, it should be piloted with a group of users

in the local

context (that is, with pedagogical leaders and eld managers) and focus groups should be conducted.

The pilot should focus on the user experience and technical functionality, gaining feedback on what

does and does not work.

■ What are your previous experiences in using mobile apps to collect data?

■ How would you describe your overall experience using this tool?

■ How easy was it for you to use the tool?

■ What did you like best about using the app?

■ What elements do you think are missing?

■ Are there aspects of the app you would change?

■ Is this app more useful than using a paper-based instrument? Why, and if not, how can it be

improved?

If time and resources allow, participants may be provided distinct options for how certain features of

the app are presented (A/B testing). After review from the project owner and project leadership team,

adjustments may be made to the app in a nal development iteration.

Post-implementation

Fifth: Scale and sustain the project

After an initial pilot and QA testing, a plan to support local users should be in place. If the app is hosted

and supported independently, a long-term support plan should be implemented to monitor the system,

support users, schedule regular data backups, and perform system administration tasks. A handoff of

the app and related supporting elements to a client should ensure this plan is developed and adopted

to ensure stability and sustainability of the implemented program.

If the software is intended to serve as a public good and published as open-source software, the

development team should post an archive of the nal source code, together with documentation on how

to install and use the app in an open repository, such as GitHub.

If future development is anticipated, the

support team should be included in the development cycle to provide retrospective insights that can help

inform future development, particularly around improvements to the user experience.

23 Ideally a small enough group to encourage open conversation, but large enough to collect meaningful data. Suggested

focus group size is 6–10 users.

24 https://github.com

STEP

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Case Study:

Mozambique Pilot

A pilot implementation of a coaching protocol was developed for the

Aprender+ program in Mozambique in 2022. The program was heavily

adapted from the global Coach materials, focusing on early grade reading

and providing a structured pedagogy approach to support teachers in

their instruction. As the initial software build was intended for use in a pilot, the project’s minimum

viable product specications described a simplied approach, with a customized set of FTS in a

fully online environment, delivered through a progressive Web application. The tool was designed for

recording low-inference observation data from a structured pedagogical approach in low-capacity

settings. The customized coaching flow guided users through selection of a lesson plan for teachers

to use while under observation and integrated a series of yes/no questions to determine a teacher’s

particular strength among various microskill areas. The app also provided pedagogical leaders an

opportunity to upload any evidence (e.g., pictures or other les) they found useful.

The pilot was designed to run on typical host environments and was tested on both AWS Lightsail and

Linode cloud hosts. AWS S3 was used for object storage of images and other les submitted by users

to minimize storage pressures on the server and help scale the system better.

GUIÃO DO PROFESSOR

Aprender

Guião do Professor

1.ª Classe

Figure 3. Screenshots from the Aprender+ coaching app

These screenshots

of the Aprender+

coaching app

illustrate the

selection of teacher

profiles by a coach

and a guided

walkthrough of

a multiple-step

teacher coaching

process.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

The development team comprised a small group of World Bank consultants who worked on the project

over approximately six months. Effort was made to make the tool and underlying code expandable

and adaptable for reuse in future projects. The backend architecture was designed to provide flexible

project management (including capabilities to host multiple projects on one server), microskill

denitions, localization, and reporting. Backend APIs were developed to easily support integration with

a frontend app for pedagogical leaders to use the coaching process in addition for providing for future

integration with external systems operated by the client. An administration dashboard provided project

management options and basic reporting visuals to help track teacher progress and use of the system

across schools.

Initial testing with a focus group comprising teacher pedagogical leaders in Mozambique revealed

several lessons that may be generally relevant for future Coach development teams:

■ Despite the assumption that Internet connectivity would be available for users in the pilot,

reliable, fast connectivity was elusive. Future development should consider prioritizing app

functionality for offline use.

■ Attention needs to be placed on simplifying user interfaces to the greatest degree possible to

eliminate confusion for users. Literacy on navigating Coach-like apps should not be assumed

and app designs should be designed for simplicity and clarity—users should understand

where they are under each step of the coaching cycle, what has already been done, and what

steps need to be taken next. Complex screens and any interactions that require moving back

and forth within the app should be avoided and users should be able to review data they

previously entered.

The source code for the Mozambique pilot is published as a global public good, available for reuse

under an open-source license. Project source code is available at https://github.com/WBG-Coach

and installation instructions are provided with each software component (backend, frontend, and

administration tool).

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Resources

Pushparatnam, Adelle, Laura Schwedes Mahajan, Ezequiel Molina, Ana Teresa Del Toro Mijares,

Elaine Yi Zhong Ding, and Tracy Marie Wilichowski. 2022. Foundational Teaching Skills Guide

(English). Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/

en/268121613971613659/Foundational-Teaching-Skills-Guide

World Bank. (n.d.) Coach Model Scoresheet. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group. https://documents1.

worldbank.org/curated/en/870691616097552550/pdf/Scoresheet.pdf

World Bank. (n.d.) Coach Tools and Resources Map: Everything You Need to

Know. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group. https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/

doc/5b7f39c1822ef0127c8596fe0fb1ced0-0200022022/original/Coach-Tools-and-

Resources-20220324.pdf

World Bank. (n.d.) Teach Model Observation Sheet. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group. https://

documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/223581641964111529/pdf/Observation-Sheet.pdf

World Bank. 2019. Open Source for Global Public Goods. Washington D.C.: World Bank Group. http://

hdl.handle.net/10986/33401

World Bank Group EdTech Team. 2022. Knowledge Pack: EMIS 2.0 Learning and Accountability

System Architecture (LASA) (English). World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/

en/099615004222210401/P174252021519b01d0bd3e06adc9dd28d86

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Annex 1: Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key features of a coaching app, and which features should be prioritized for users with

limited access to technology and resources?

A coaching protocol typically consists of four phases: observation of teacher in classroom; selection

of a skill (or skills) for coaching; coaching, based on the skill, for guidance during a coaching

session; and documentation of the coaching session for follow-up. For an app in a low-resource

environment, features that can work offline or with limited connectivity (for example, using QR

codes to provision and preload crucial data specic to the coaching environment) with a simple and

intuitive interface should be prioritized.

Is there a “master” coaching app I can use to help build an app for my country or context?

It is important that each coaching app meets the missions of its environment. Although demand for

coaching apps is high, no “one size ts all” solution exists. Each country or context has different sets

of priorities, operational constraints, and monitoring requirements (for example, see this repository

of in-service teacher professional development programs).

How do I find a project team to help me build a coaching app?

Try to leverage existing experience. Begin by checking with technology leads within your unit to

identify developers and rms who have worked on coaching apps in the past. If they cannot help

you, they can likely point you toward nding team members with experience in building digital global

public goods.

When hiring a firm to help build a coaching app, what are some key questions to ask in the

search process?

When engaging with a rm, it is crucial to gauge its experience and expertise in building apps that

are similar in scope to what is desired. Experience with the platform and technologies involved is

important. If building an Android app, experience with the platform in low-connectivity environments

should be assessed, for example. A review of previous designs is benecial in assessing whether

the rm’s approach to interfacing with users ts the context for which the app will be built. Finally, a

deployment strategy and data security strategy should be discussed to ensure the rm understands

any particular requirements about how the app is to be deployed and data security and privacy

requirements.

What is application hosting and how do I find a host?

Application hosting is typically provided by a third-party partner to provide hardware, software,

and network connectivity necessary to run the backend and other elements of your app. To nd a

hosting provider, consider the following factors:

1. Your app’s technical needs in terms of storage, processing, network bandwidth, and security

features should be identied.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

2. To mitigate any potential network bandwidth or latency issues, the geographical location of the

host should be as close to the implementation country as possible. The local government may

place additional requirements on the geographical location for servers that host the app.

3. A record of reliability and customer service is crucial to ensure your host provides as much

uptime as possible. You can review potential host providers online through Web searches in

addition to interviewing their sales teams.

What are application software frameworks? How should I select them?

Application frameworks are prewritten scaffolds that allow software to be developed more

efciently and securely than by building an app from scratch. Depending on your app’s operating

needs, the app development team may recommend a set of frameworks to be used.

Can I incorporate multimedia content, such as videos and audio, in an app?

Yes, but keep in mind that network bandwidth and/or device storage may be limited. Consider

using multimedia content sparingly or using compressed, low-le-size videos, audio, or images to

conserve bandwidth and storage.

How can I incorporate user feedback to improve my app?

When possible, pilot your app with a small group of users to gain insight into how they use the app

and where improvements may be made. When an app is “live” in the eld, consider incorporating a

user feedback form in your coaching app that users can complete to provide feedback. Analytics

tools can provide insight into app usage, such as how often an app is used, where it was used, and

who uses it.

How can I measure the success of my coaching app, given resource constraints and limited access

to data? What metrics should I use to track its performance and impact?

Consider using approaches that are not resource intensive, using data already available through the

app, such as user engagement, frequency of use (retention), and longitudinal changes in teachers’

coaching scores. It is recommended to build such analytics through the app’s administrative

interface. If time and resources allow, qualitative data may be gathered through user surveys and

focus groups.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Annex 2: Example Methodology for Selecting a

Coaching Platform

An initial landscape review conducted by the World Bank Group in 2021 investigated six coaching

platforms for analysis to acquire both an understanding of the breadth of options available and the

depth of solutions that may be deployed in low-resource development contexts, especially identifying

those that are effective, replicable, and cost-effective. The analysis focused on each platform’s

technical capabilities to collect data on teacher performance and provide coaching feedback based

on observation data, either automated or through a pedagogical leader. Given ongoing work in low-

bandwidth settings, these variables were considered essential in a potential app:

1. Orientation toward low-tech-skilled users: Solutions that are designed for users with low

technology skills or limited access to technology are preferred. This is to facilitate universal

ease of use and access to the tool, requiring little to no prior technical knowledge.

2. Minimum technology requirements: For both data collection servers and eld collection

devices, it is important to gain an understanding of minimum hardware congurations required

to provide insight to factors that impact total implementation cost. Functionality on low-end

hardware, such as older smartphones and tablets, is preferred.

3. Offline capability: Capabilities to operate in low-connectivity and non-Internet-connected

environments and offline capable tools are preferred to accommodate clients in these settings.

4. Operability with Google Chrome: Functionality with the Google Chrome Internet browser is

preferred due to its near-universal availability on various devices, including smartphones and

tablets.

5. Operability on Android devices: Android compatibility as a stand-alone app is preferred

because Android is the dominant operating system used in mobile devices in low- and middle-

income countries.

6. Capability for GPS tracking: Monitoring of precise locations where data are collected aids in

the transparent tracking and evaluation of resources expended during a coaching campaign.

7. Ease of implementation for client countries: As technical capabilities vary across World Bank

Group projects and use by client countries, this variable assesses the level of technical difculty

in implementation; that is, whether a solution is turnkey and easy to adapt and implement or

requires additional interventions from a specialist.

8. Open-source software license: This variable is an indicator of whether software used for the

tool is commercial/proprietary or is open-source licensed for adapting, remixing, and sharing

by its user community. As the World Bank Group produces global public goods, complimentary

open-source licenses are preferred.

9. Cost/pricing model: This variable provides an overview of one-time and ongoing costs related

to software license fees, administration, and maintenance.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

After an initial review for potential suitability and based on matching project criteria, the list of

six candidate platforms was reduced to two preferred solutions: Tangerine by RTI

and Inspiring

Teachers.

Data were collected through each provider’s/project’s website and by interviewing each

organization directly.

At the time of the assessment, only Tangerine was available for testing, and it was thus recommended

to proceed with development of a pilot coaching product using Tangerine to gain insights into the

assessment/coaching tool, and feedback for further improvements for eventual future releases,

including those that could be considered global public goods. Following the pilot, the Bank chose to

develop an independent platform to provide a tool for clients with an experience that could be focused

more on country-level needs and implementation requirements. These experiences informed the

formation of subsequent products and this guidance note.

25 https://www.rti.org/impact/tangerine-mobile-learning-assessments-made-easy

26 https://inspiringteachers.org/platform

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Annex 3: Terms of Reference for Mobile Coaching

App Development Teams

■ Project leader, stakeholder liaison

o Identies all project stakeholders, including internal teams, external clients, end users,

and third-party vendors. Analyzes their interests, influence, and importance related to

the project to develop a strategic approach for engagement and communication.

o Crafts a comprehensive communication plan that outlines the communication

objectives, frequency, channels, and methods tailored for each stakeholder group.

o Establishes and implements a structured process for receiving and integrating

stakeholder feedback into the project lifecycle.

■ Product owner, system architect

o Liaises with and translates design needs for app from Coach team into actionable

components for development.

o Takes lead on system architecture and development operations.

o Leads quality assurance (QA) efforts in collaboration with the development team.

o Leads efforts to document digital coaching product.

o Deliverable(s): Responsible for professional, working version of coaching application for

implementation in target environment.

■ Sprint manager, co-architect for digital coaching deliverable

o Develops sprint management:

 Leads technical discussions with development team regarding architectural

decisions, integration, and interoperability strategies.

 Ensures weekly goals are clear to the whole team, running sprint planning and

review meetings and development standup meetings, and troubleshooting as

necessary.

 Manages stories, tasks, and bugs on the sprint management tool for each

deliverable, using the Agile method and organizing with selected project

management tool.

 Breaks down user stories, technical tasks, and bugs on the sprint board, making

sure there is always someone assigned to solve the issue or tackle the task.

Follows up regularly with each team member to ensure sprints and deliverables

are completed on schedule.

o Conducts product testing and debugging and supports frontend and backend

development, as necessary, to ensure deliverables are met on time and at the highest

quality possible.

o Coordinates integration with existing client systems, as necessary.

o Deliverable(s): Daily management of app development and testing/bug xing

■ Coaching/pedagogical specialist (optional)

o Develops (or adapts) a coaching strategy to enhance the quality of teaching in the

targeted context.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

o Collaborates with development team to provide guidance on digital coaching

adaptation.

o Coordinates with ministries and other partners to ensure app meets local needs for

enhancing the quality of teaching.

o Responsible for creating adapted coaching and mentoring materials for the target

context to be translated into an app flow by the development team.

■ Backend developer

o Takes the lead as developer of the API, data model, and data-fetching technical tasks

using the selected and agreed technical stack.

o Communicates regularly and keeps backend tasks always clear, well-described, and up

to date on the sprint board.

o Discusses, claries, and structures backend user stories, making sure users’ needs are

always addressed.

o Develops testing cases and scenarios for all APIs and general code.

o Addresses all back-and-forth tasks from daily QA checks.

o Proactively coordinates/collaborates with frontend developer and UI/UX designer as

necessary.

o Deliverable(s): Responsible for leading backend development.

■ Frontend developer

o As lead developer of the frontend app, ensures the design-produced components are

developed according to the design system.

o Communicates regularly, keeps frontend tasks always clear, well-described, and up to

date on the sprint board.

o Discusses, claries, and structures UI user stories, making sure users’ needs are always

addressed and incorporating best UX practices.

o Develops testing cases and scenarios for all components and app in general.

o Addresses all back-and-forth tasks from daily QA checks.

o Proactively coordinates/collaborates with backend developer and UI/UX designer as

necessary.

o Deliverable(s): Responsible for leading frontend development

■ UI/UX designer

o Keeps design tasks always clear, well-described, and up to date on the sprint board.

o Runs user research and discovery processes to capture needs and turn them into goals.

o Quickly wireframes solution possibilities to validate them with clients, users, and other

Coach stakeholders.

o Ensures app design meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 or newer).

o Designs mobile-rst, low-delity, and high-delity components and screens to be

implemented by frontend developer.

o Mediates design reviews and design critiques with the whole team.

o Proactively coordinates/collaborates with backend and frontend developers as

necessary.

o Deliverable(s): Responsible for leading design of nal product

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

STEP

Annex 4: Checklist for Developing a Digital

Coaching App

This annex provides a checklist for developing a digital coaching app in developing country contexts.

This checklist is designed to be a practical tool, guiding teams through each phase of development

with clarity and purpose, ensuring a user-centric, sustainable, and impactful app.

Pre-implementation

Project planning and leadership:

a. Project leader and team selection:

» Identify and select a project leader with relevant experience and expertise.

» Assemble a multidisciplinary team (including technical experts, education specialists, and

local community representatives).

b. Stakeholder identification and engagement:

» Identify all stakeholders (teachers, coaches, students, policymakers, etc.).

» Develop a strategy for consistent and meaningful stakeholder engagement.

Foundational questions answered to frame the local context:

a. Needs assessment: Conduct a needs assessment to understand local educational challenges

and specic requirements.

b. Cultural and linguistic adaptation: Ensure the app will align with the cultural and linguistic

contexts of target users.

c. Local legislation and data privacy: Understand and adhere to local regulations regarding data

protection, privacy, and access.

Application architecture and framework selection:

a. App flow: Develop a flow that prioritizes identied skills, digital literacy level of users, and

technical expertise of pedagogical leaders.

b. Scalability and flexibility: Choose an architecture that allows the app to scale and adapt to

evolving needs.

c. User accessibility: Ensure the framework supports building an app with a user-friendly

interface and accessible features.

d. Offline capability: If necessary, ensure the app is functional offline, considering possible

Internet connectivity issues in certain areas.

Organization of the development cycle:

a. Agile development approach: Consider using a Scrum or Agile approach to accommodate

changes and ensure iterative development.

b. Timelines and milestones: Develop a comprehensive project timeline with clear milestones

and deliverables.

c. Risk management: Identify potential risks and create mitigation strategies.

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

Implementation

Piloting, refinement, and deployment:

a. Pilot testing and focus groups:

» Conduct a small-scale pilot in a representative setting.

» Collect feedback from pilot users and stakeholders.

b. Refinement: Address issues and implement enhancements based on pilot feedback.

c. Deployment strategy: Develop a phased deployment plan, ensuring initial launch is in a

controlled environment before scaling up.

d. Monitoring and evaluation: Establish a robust monitoring and evaluation system for ongoing

app performance review.

Continuous support and maintenance:

a. Technical support: Ensure continuous technical support for end users.

b. Strategy for updates and upgrades: Plan for regular app updates and technological upgrades.

c. User training and support materials: Develop comprehensive user manuals, training modules,

and support materials.

Data management and analysis:

a. Data collection strategy: Establish clear protocols for data collection, ensuring reliability and

validity.

b. Data security and compliance: Implement stringent data security measures and ensure

compliance with local and international data protection regulations.

c. Data utilization: Create a strategy for effective use of collected data for policy decisions and

further research.

Post-Implementation

Scaling up and sustaining the project:

a. Scalability plan: Develop a plan to scale the initiative, ensuring stability and sustainability.

b. Partnership and collaboration: Explore sharing your product and forming partnerships with

other governments, nongovernmental organizations, and international organizations to further

iterate, broaden impact, and enable product sustainability.

STEP

Building a Mobile Application for Teacher Coaching

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE NOTE

BUILDING A MOBILE

APPLICATION FOR

TEACHER COACHING

and visit us at www.worldbank.org/coach